What is ISAAGNY?

The Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1965. ISAAGNY is guided by its mission "to further a spirit of cooperation among member schools by coordinating admissions practices and procedures in order to help ensure an orderly, fair and professional admissions process and thereby serve the educational purposes of the member schools.”

To ensure that all member schools live according to our mission, each school agrees to abide by the Principles of Good Practice and commits to providing a fair-minded admissions process that is respectful to applicant families, as well as to other member schools. This includes adhering to common admissions dates, communicating procedures in a clear and straightforward manner, and upholding and affirming the dignity of each applicant child and his or her family members.

ISAAGNY represents schools whose educators and admissions professionals are dedicated to seeking out current research on teaching and learning practices. With a common purpose, we gather together several times a year to share educational resources, to engage in professional development opportunities, and to hear presentations by ex perts in child development. These regular meetings ensure that our work is child-centered, research-based, and current.

ISAAGNY also provides information and resources to families before and during the application process. This website offers practical information on independent schools and helpful advice for all stages of the admissions process. Financial aid information, a directory with links to each member school’s website, a glossary of “frequently-heard” admissions terms, and a checklist to help parents stay organized are just some of the tools available on our website. Additionally, to provide an easy starting point for families who wish to explore their independent school options, many member schools list information about their open houses. We encourage families to browse each school’s website to gain a deeper sense of its mission and culture.